Positive and Negative Impacts of the Material Topic

In the Group's double materiality analysis for 2024, the IRO 'Hazardous Work Operations' was identified as having an actual negative impact, due to a high rate of employee injuries. Beyond the direct harm caused to the individuals affected, this also contributes to a high absence-rate.

Absence of harmful conditions that can cause injury and illness as well as health promoting measures are fundamental principles and rights at work. Promotion of safe and healthy working environment has significant positive impacts both on direct operations as well as operations of our supply chain. Respecting the right to safe and healthy working environment is an inherent part of good business practice. Lerøy expects and requires that the right to safe and healthy working environment is a core component within the operations of the company as well as in relation to own and hired employees in our supply chains. Lerøy is working actively to ensure that the company prevents and mitigates the risk of contributing to adverse impacts on human rights.

Health and Safety Policy 

The Group has developed HSE Policy which, on high level, outlines the long-term direction for the Group to support and continually improve its health and safety performance providing an overall sense of direction, as well as framework for setting health and safety objectives.

The policy sets out requirements for the Group’s own health and safety work as well as states that the same strict requirements apply to its business partners. The Group’s business partners must confirm that they acknowledge and will follow the principles stated in the Group’s Business Code of Conduct.

The Group aims to have zero injuries in the workplace and prevent all occupational illness. This is achieved through robust health and safety management which is crucial for succeeding with identifying, preventing and mitigating significant negative occupational health and safety impacts.

Health and Safety Culture

The Group is continuously working on developing a strong safety culture which further develops the defined health and safety direction of the Group. Safety culture in the Group is supported by the Group’s values, managerial practices, patterns of activities and competencies – core elements for ensuring and maintaining sustainable health and safety culture.

The top management in the Group has the ultimate responsibility for an adequate health and safety management in the Group. Each company within the Group has identified specific health and safety roles and responsibilities assigned to one or several individuals to ensure sound and consistent health and safety management locally.

Health and Safety Management

To protect the health and safety of its employees, manage the topic and related impacts, the Group is actively working with identifying and assessing risks, incident reporting and analysis as well as implementation of safety measures. Effectiveness of the implemented safety measures is constantly measured and monitored. The ultimate goal of health and safety management is to prevent workplace accidents and injuries, as well as to promote the overall well-being of employees. This includes providing training on safety practices and procedures, ensuring compliance with regulations and standards, and conducting safety audits. 

To track effectiveness of the actions taken each of the Group’s companies has defined occupational health and safety related KPIs which are monitored and reviewed on monthly basis. The reported results provide an indication of progress toward the defined goals. If necessary, based on lessons learned, changes are implemented. This may involve revising and updating policies and procedures and changing practices. Lessons learned are used to continuously improve the process to ensure that the actions meet the needs of stakeholders and deliver desired results. 

The Group has implemented a Quality Management System which is available to all companies in the Group as well as own employees and the system contains documentation regarding health and safety management. 

If relevant, the Group’s companies also have their own local health and safety management documentation libraries which include description of work processes, procedures and other company specific relevant documentation to ensure that all operations are carried out in a safe manner. All employees (own and hired) (6194) are covered by relevant health and safety management system.

The scope and nature of the health and safety management work is defined by relevant own, client and legal requirements.

The legal requirements for health and safety management vary depending on the country of operation. However, some common legal requirements include that the employer is required to ensure health, safety and welfare of all its own and hired employees. This includes providing safe equipment, appropriate personal protective equipment, training and information, hazard communication, ensuring that own and hired employees are able to identify and manage risks as well as consulting with own and hired employees on health and safety matters.

The Group has integrated risk management into its organizational activities, including health and safety management, and view it as an integral part of its governance, strategy and operational processes. 

Health and Safety (HSE) reporting, risk management and training

HSE reporting is integrated in the Group’s Management System. Safety observations, near misses and injuries and proposals for improvement are reported in the system. The registrations are used to identify trends and make use of data to provide an opportunity for knowledge-based decision making. take necessary actions to improve. 

All work-related incidents, be they a near miss or an actual injury, shall be analyzed and handled by employees who have the competency to evaluate, and the authority make necessary changes to the existing practices to improve the overall health and safety performance of the organization. All companies have mapped out their work processes as well as identified process risks, hazards and their mitigating actions.

There shall be no reprisals against either employees as a consequence of reporting of HSE-related incidents. On the contrary – Lerøy welcomes and encourages as it is crucial for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.

All companies have mapped out their work processes as well as identified process risks, hazards and their mitigating actions.

The Group’s management systems are internally and externally audited via various certifications schemes the Group is part of.

All employees have received necessary HSE training which is required by national legislation and internal Lerøy standards. 

They also received both generic training regarding the organization, its processes and procedures as well as specific training depending on their position and the type of work they carry out. Review of specific, work-related hazards, hazardous activities and the appropriate procedures to address these is included in the training.

Health and Safety related Compliance

All companies in the Group are compliant with the existing occupational health safety legislation in the countries they operate in as well as follow the principles laid out ISO 45001 standard Occupational Health and Safety, however most of the companies has not a third-party certification an independent verification that the company meets the principles in the standard.

Occupational Health and Promotion of own and hired Employees' Health

Most companies within the Group have established cooperation with an occupational health and safety service provider. Occupational health service providers are involved in risk identification processes as well as serve as advisory bodies regarding various health and safety issues.

The Group uses only authorized occupational health and safety services as well as performs due diligence prior to contracting an occupational health and safety service provider.

The Group is working on promoting own and hired employees’ health by offering voluntary health promotion services, such as in-house training and voluntary training groups which the employees can join. Some of the companies offer a yearly physician check-up to evaluate the health condition of the person in question and suggest further check-ups/treatment if necessary/appropriate. Information regarding employee health promotion is published on and communicated via the company’s intranet which is available to all own and hired employees.

Sick pay practices

The companies in the Group follow the respective sick pay practices in various countries in accordance with local legislations and company policies. All employees are entitled to sick pay regardless of employee category/seniority level or contract type. The companies ensure that the requirements for living/minimum wage standards are met, based on collective agreements and/or in compliance with national legal standards.

All Norwegian companies cover the difference from the state's maximum limit for sick pay to the current salary for their employees, with the exception of sailing employees in our trawler company who follow the respective industrial collective agreement. Companies in Norway, Italy and Spain advance wages in the event of sick leave.

Own and hired Employee Participation

The Group has four core values – Honest, Open, Responsible and Creative. These are incorporated in all our activities and shall define our behavior at work. All own and hired employees are encouraged to provide feedback thus influencing and developing transparent two-way communication, consultation and participation practice.

Own and hired employees are enabled to contribute and comment on health and safety practices, and it is ensured that all own and hired employees have an opportunity to report hazardous situations, so that preventative measures can be put into place and necessary corrective action taken. The Group views consultation and participation of employees as a detrimental success factor for the organization and its development.

82% of all companies in the group have a formal joint management-worker health and safety committee/ safety representative. NB! In smaller size companies, where it is not required to have a safety committee, safety representative represents own and hired employees in matters concerning health, safety and working environment.

The aim of the committee is to enable a two-way communication and exchange of information as well as give informed feedback to be considered by the organization before implementing a change or deciding.

Employee representatives, which represent both own and hired employees, are a central part of the joint management-worker health and safety committee. The committees meet at least four times a year, extra meetings can be held if necessary.

The committees are handling issues such as occupational health and safety services, reports from safety representatives, training, organizational changes, corrective and preventative measures, risk evaluation as well as other working environment related issues. The Group aims to be a learning organization and is inviting feedback regarding improving its safe work practices.

Own and Hired Employees' Right to Remove Themselves from Hazardous Work Situations

The Group’s Code of Conduct, which all employees in the Group must acknowledge and follow, states that health and safety is the number one priority of the Group and that no compromises shall be made when it comes to the employee’s safety. All own and hired employees have the right to remove themselves from work situations that they believe could cause an injury or ill health.

HSE Performance Indicators 2024

The Group is monitoring and measuring the following health and safety performance indicators. These indicators are used to track the effectiveness of actions taken as well as evaluate progress of actions taken. The indicators are reviewed monthly both locally by the companies as well as the Group’s Management Team. If a performance in an indicator is not satisfactory measures are put in place to improve the performance on the indicator in question. If necessary and appropriate relevant updates are incorporated into the organization’s operational policies and procedures.